Sunflower
by Anasatsia98
Summary: "You know what sunflowers do when they're covered by clouds?" "What?" "Look for the sun." What do you do when you're reborn before the canon? Live like you have an idea about what's going on.
1. Part I: I

**_Part chapters will be shorter _**

* * *

_What's your quirk?_

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**It was a question that followed her everywhere**

_It was a question that haunted him_

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* * *

First Grade

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They said his name was Yagi Toshinori and that she had to be nice to him—to _not_ use her quirk on him no matter how aggravating he may be—because he didn't have his quirk _yet_.

They stressed the word _yet_ as though he was not six years old and him getting a quirk would still be a possibility. She had scoffed at this but begrudgingly nodded. She knew what it was like to be picked on when you didn't have a quirk… plus, heroes weren't supposed to be bullies.

With hair that stood as though the wind was consistently pushing it back and bangs that laid on both sides of his face, hanging freely and just brushing his chin, Tanaka Himeko was less than thrilled to see the _literal ray of sunshine _bound towards her, smiling so wide she feared his face was going to split in half. His hair—a disgustingly shimmering gold—shuffled with every step he took while his cerulean eyes—annoyingly glowing with excitement, and she didn't truly understand why—held her mud colored ones.

"I'm Yagi Toshinori," The _sunflower_ beamed, and Himeko forced a smile, knowing that her face looked more as a grimace than true happiness, but it was the best she could do.

"I know," She stated, her tone flat and her 'smile' quickly slipping. The _sunflower_—Yagi Toshinori, she wondered if she should even bother remembering his name—seemed to almost deflate for a moment, almost bringing a true smile to her face, before the _bright_ smile was once again gracing his face as though it had never left.

"What's your name?" Himeko's shoulders flattened at the question for she realized that she'd most likely have to remember his name (and no, her stomach did not flutter with hope that she'd finally make a friend that wouldn't leave because that would be ridiculous and she was _not_ ridiculous). The sunflower had taken her hesitation, it appeared, as nervousness and she watched as he twisted his shirt, her brow quirking at the sudden shyness that presented itself in the boy.

Why was he nervous? There were still fifteen other people in the room that he had yet to introduce himself to?

Still, Himeko felt as though she should introduce herself. It was only fair, she guessed—a name for name. Besides, he most likely wasn't going to stick around when he met the other kids. Everyone tended to leave when they found out that she was the youngest in the class, saying that she was 'too childish' for them to be around and that they couldn't be seen with a 'cry baby'.

It wasn't her fault that their version of 'childish' was actually called maturity.

Pursing her lips, the young girl looked over the tall child in front of her (and, by God, was he tall). Giving her name wouldn't hurt her; yes, that was true, giving him her friendship would but her name wouldn't.

"Tanaka Himeko… it's nice to meet you, Yagi-san." Himeko flashed the sunflower a genuine smile, mentally cackling at the nickname she had given him.

"You can call me Toshinori, or Toshi! We are going to be friends after all!" Himeko wanted to throw up at the amount of kindness and enthusiasm that was practically leaking out of the giant of a child.

"You can call me Himeko, I guess."

* * *

Fourth Grade

* * *

_Sunflower_

It was a fitting name that Himeko had mentally dubbed the child with.

He was bright, constantly smiling and helping people without them needing a real purpose for the assistance. His hair, she noticed over the past three years, never seemed to grow down; instead, the golden locks grew out—they literally grew vertical and Himeko hoped that, for his sake, his parents had styled his hair to appear as such. How odd would it be if that were his quirk, growing hair vertically. His eyes were always bright and kind, and Himeko, not that she would ever tell a soul, enjoyed the warmth that radiated out of them when she had an especially bad day.

His hair reminded her of a sunflower and his eyes reminded her of the sky. It didn't help that his abnormal height seemed to aid his nickname.

Sunflowers were unusually tall, and so was he.

"Hi, Himeko," The sunflower greeted her, placing his bento on the table in front of her, his eyes practically shining with excitement and Himeko knew that she was going to experience another one of Yagi's tales, "You'll never guess what happened today!"

"What happened, Toshi?" The words were practiced, repeated every day and had been repeated for the past three months.

The sunflower didn't leave her alone like she expected him to when he found out her age and, in all honesty, she was glad that he was mature in some way. She forgot how foolish children could be, how naïve and idiot they were when it came to people they didn't consider their equal. Being the youngest in the class, being born in August and being… a Virgo (not that she had anything against being a Virgo), Himeko experienced the true villainy of being a child. However, despite the rise of the sunflower's popularity among her classmates—which she understood because, if she wasn't always overthinking everything, she would be fawning over him too—the sunflower seemed to have taken a special liking to her.

Honestly, the only thing that made her different compared to her classmates was the fact that she knew when to _shut up and listen_.

"When I was…" Himeko took a bite of her rice as she listened, the words going in one ear before rushing out the other. Every day, the sunflower seemed to have something new and exciting happening in his life. Whether it was seeing a hero or his cat jumping on his lap (which had surprised her when she learned that, she had thought of him as a dog person), the sunflower always found a way to make his day seem amazing.

Sometimes, she wished she could think like him.

* * *

Seventh Grade

* * *

"I don't know why you let their words get to you," Himeko ran a hand through the strands of her flat, russet hair, "You always act like you're all mighty and that not having a quirk doesn't bother you, and then, when they leave, you turn into a depressed cow."

Sunflower didn't respond for a moment, his head drooped down as he remained hunched over the desk. Himeko twirled her hair in the silence, her back resting against the frigid glass window and her legs dangling off the ledge. Despite the fact that she could just sit in the desk next to Toshi—Sunflower—she refused to, finding the chill of the glass relaxing against her warm skin.

Side effect of her quirk, even when she wasn't using it.

"I'm not depressed, Himeko." Sunflower breathed, his voice cracking and, even though she wanted to, Himeko didn't laugh. Puberty was tough and so was being a thirteen-year-old. Besides, based on his current attitude, she didn't feel like bringing him further down… he wasn't fun when he was sad.

"Yeah, but you're sad because you're actually listening to those stupid idiots." Himeko said and slid off the ledge, standing in front of Toshi's desk. She knew that he wasn't going to look up her. He was, not that he would ever admit it, a sensitive guy and, while he liked to laugh off his classmates remarks and pretend that they didn't bother him, she knew that their jabs hurt him.

He was the only one in their class who didn't have a quirk.

She would hurt, too, if she were in his shoes.

Sighing, Himeko kneeled, her eyes becoming level with his down casted one. They were rimmed with red, not that she was surprised, and his hand was shaking in his lap. She loathed that she didn't have a quirk that could make him happy or, at least, take away the quirks of their other classmates so they could experience what it would be like to be teased.

"Come on, Toshi," Himeko frowned when his eyes still refused to meet hers, the frown deepening as a small tear ran down his nose and dripped on the wooden desk, darkening the wood in that small area.

For a moment, Himeko didn't know what to do. She hadn't been with him when the 'notorious three', or the 'Most Definitely Overcompensating For Something Squad', as she called them, had cornered him before lunch. They normally went together but, unfortunately, she had to stay after to meet with her teacher about her 'constant tracking in dirt' and how it was 'unsanitary'. Himeko knew that it was because her teacher didn't want her to bring in anything that could assist her quirk… and her inability to pay attention in class. So, Toshi had told her he'd meet her in the cafeteria and, when she got there, she knew something was wrong.

His eyes, which were always so warm, held an trace of melancholy and his smile wasn't splitting his face in half.

She knew who it was the moment she sat down.

Glancing down, Himeko dipped her finger in a pile of dirt, that was slightly smeared from people walking on it, and rubbed her fingers together. Her nose wrinkled, a grimace taking over her features momentarily before a soft smile erupted on her face.

"You know what sunflowers do when they're covered by clouds?" Himeko asked, mentally cheering as Toshi looked at her, his blue eyes meeting her brown and she held out her hand.

"What?"

"Look for the sun."

Toshi smiled, taking the sunflower from her hands.


	2. Part I: II

**Hi everyone! Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews! I was blown away when I woke up and saw them all, so thank you so much!**

**Nofacedgamer: Your comment literally made me smile, I'm glad you like this story!**

**Guest: Thank you! I'm a bit nervous about how I'm going to build the world, but a bit excited at the same time. Yes! She does have an 'earth quirk', but you'll learn more about it in the next few chapters. **

**PizzaLiteratureMore: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! Their relationship is a slowburn, and Himeko feels something for him, she just doesn't understand what's going on right now, in general. I hope you enjoy their blossoming ****romance!**

**Please Review! **

* * *

_Do you want to be a hero?_

* * *

**She wished she didn't have the power to be asked the question**

_He wanted nothing more than to be one_

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* * *

Summer of Eighth Grade

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It was times like these that she wondered what she had done to deserve such patience.

Or what Toshi had done to deserve her patience.

The newly turned fourteen-year-old had been acting odd of late and, if she were being honest… and, let's be real here, when wasn't she—it was starting to get on her nerves. His stupid stuttering when she asked where he was going, the way his idiotic smile seemed to tense when she asked if she could walk home with him, the slight twitch in his hand when he lied to her.

…and, yes, Himeko was able to read Toshi like that back of her hand.

And, no, that fact did not make her stomach flutter with happiness with the knowledge that she now had a _true_ friend because that was stupid and she was _not _stupid.

"Toshi," Himeko called him out, stopping him with his hand on her front door, glancing at the clock and see that, once again, he was leaving at five thirty. She felt that his new found pattern of leaving she not make her as upset as it did; because, while they were really good friends (she would never say that they were best friends because best friends were for children and she was _not _a child), she knew that Toshi had his own life.

He didn't have to tell her anything, just like she never told him everything.

Still, though, he was her closest friend… and when he left, she didn't have anyone else to hang out with.

Not that Toshinori had that problem—her heart did _not_ freeze at the idea that he was most probably leaving her to go spend time with her other classmates, it didn't, she swore it didn't—since his popularity in middle school had only risen. Himeko, on the other hand, had remained in the 'background' and she was perfectly content with that.

The background, she was quick to realize, was just being a normal student whom wasn't going to be the center of the canon. It was nice and there were times where, for once, her brain wouldn't overthink the upcoming events. The events that she didn't have any control over, the events that Himeko really didn't know about because, before she had _died_, she had never been a huge fan of this show and she knew that one day—

"Where are you going?" She pushed past her thoughts, breaking the tense silence that rested between her and Toshi. Himeko tilted her head to the side as she stared at the taller boy. She noticed that he was more hesitant to leave when she did that—appeared sweeter and cuter than she really was—and Himeko truly thought it was because he thought of her as someone to protect.

With her being younger and all.

_Because, why else would he care? _

"I…I promised my mom that I'd help her make dinner tonight," The hand that rested by his side twitched, Himeko narrowed her eyes. Straightening up, Himeko tried to relax her shoulders and smiled at the sunflower. She had gotten better at smiling… it wasn't hard when you always had a sunflower in your life who smiled at you.

Himeko wondered if Toshi knew that she knew that he was lying. For a quirkless man, she found that he did have some quirks and, even if they weren't heroic, they were _his_. His hand twitched when he lied—more often than not, it was his left hand, when he ate something he didn't like, his eyes would squint in distaste for only a brief moment. He didn't want to offend the person who had made it if they were there.

Himeko wished she didn't have a quirk.

It would be so much easier to fall into the background…

And not feel bad about it.

* * *

Ninth Grade

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"Himeko, do you want to be a hero?"

That question always left a bitter taste on her tongue.

Because of her quirk, because of how powerful it _could be_, the question followed her everywhere and nobody, she meant it, nobody could stop themselves from asking her. It was a question that was asked when she entered a new grade, parents would follow their greetings with the questions, her 'friends' younger siblings would swarm around her, bouncing on their feet as they asked for an autograph.

Because, by God, the world would _surely end if she didn't become a hero. _

Toshi, she had begun to realize a mere few days after meeting him, was obsessed with becoming a hero. Now, Himeko wasn't say obsessed as in 'oh, it's just something he really wants to do', she meant it as in 'if I don't become a hero, I will _die_'.

She wished she could give him her quirk.

He was going to make a better hero than she'd ever be.

And she knew that for a fact.

Himeko wasn't expecting that question to escape Toshi's lips, he hadn't asked her that in years. Not since the first time, when she had shrugged her shoulders and continued to build her sand castle as though he had never asked her anything. Sighing, Himeko scratched her cheek and swung her legs. She was glad that the classroom was deserted, she didn't know how she'd react if twenty sets of eyes were on her.

She'd probably die, _again. _

Himeko snickered at the thought, ignoring Toshi's questioning gaze.

"I think that it depends on what kind of her you're asking about," Himeko's words were cautious, carefully spoken as she mulled over her words. Did she want to be a hero? Of course she did, but she wanted to be her own kind of her.

She was so hesitant to say her next words, so scared of what Toshi would think of her. Her palms were getting clammy and cool—they only did that when she was truly nervous, and she swore that she was going to vomit. Her heart was beating ridiculously fast, making her feel as though she had just ran a marathon.

"I would love to be a stay-at-home mom."

Himeko paled the moment those words left her lips, her boring, brown eyes widening when Toshi's met hers, the blue looking exquisite compared to hers. She knew that she had thrown him off guard: his mouth was slightly agape, his brows were practically touching his forehead, and, her eyes squinted to make sure she wasn't seeing things, he was _blushing_?

Was he embarrassed for her?!

"Or a teacher," She babbled, a dark flush coating her pale skin, and she was sure she represented a ripe tomato. Toshi didn't respond to that either and she almost squirmed under his intense stare. Was he… was he looking at her differently? Dear Lord, she had really, _really_ messed up this time.

This is why you're not supposed to be born before the canon! She didn't know what to do!

"Teachers, in their own way, are heroes. They practically give up their time to make good money to teach annoying children instead. And they waste their money on school supplies; plus, they're always making sure each of their students is excelling and make sure to get the student help when they need it. I think being a teacher would be fun. You get the summers and weekend off, right? So, how bad can it be—"

"You wanna be a stay-at-home mom?" Toshi interrupted her and she couldn't tell why his tone was so light and hopeful because they were sixteen—okay, she was fifteen, but who was really counting… she was—and they should not be thinking about the future…

Himeko froze, her jaw dropping and her brows practically brushing her hairline.

"You want to go to U.A," It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and Toshi's face paled, the blood immediately flooding out of it as her accusation reached his ears.

"N-no! Don't be ridiculous! I don't even have a quirk," Himeko's face wiped itself of any emotion as Toshi's obnoxious, nervous laughter flooded the room. He was panicking, she knew this. His left hand was shaking, his eyes keep darting towards the door or the clock, hoping that lunch would be over soon. Himeko almost cackled at this, she still had fifteen minutes to interrogate him.

"You don't do you?" She teased, her voice light and tone playful. If Toshi could've gone any paler, she knew he would've. Her teasing was relentless, it was almost a quirk of its own. She refused to let up, pushing and pushing the person until they yielded or snapped at her, "Don't tell me, did you somehow acquire this new quirk… almost as if though, by magic?"

She knew that he ate Nana's hair or something.

"Or were you just keeping it a secret because, well, you didn't want to hurt those bullies feelings? Your quirk all mighty or something?"

"Shut up, Himeko." She knew, by the way he gulped and how his eyes had hardened, that she had pushed him too far with her last taunt. She was pushing boundaries that she normally wouldn't push, canon wise, and Himeko wondered if it was because this was it—this was the start of the 'story'.

A silence rested between the two of them and Himeko rubbed the yellow apple against her shirt, not cleaning it to eat it, but to make it seem as though she wasn't upset with his harsh tone and that she wasn't upset with herself for pushing him too far.

Pushing him for her own gain.

"I guess," Himeko felt Toshi's gaze as she started to speak, her tone soft, "I guess we should start training. The entrance exams are hard, right?"

"Himeko," Toshi's voice was softer, he forgave her, and Himeko looked at him. She ignored how his eyes were kind, she ignored the way her heart seemed to have burst of energy at the look he was giving, and, instead, focused on the apple in her hands, "Do you have any idea what you're getting into?"

"To be honest with you, I don't even know what U.A. stands for."


	3. Part I: III

**Honestly! Guys! Thank you all so much! Your reviews are making my day (and making me want to write) and I never, never expected this story to get so many follows and favs so soon!**

**If I have information wrong about the U.A. exams, please let me know!**

**PizzaLiteratureMore: Awe, thank you! My heart melted when i read your review. I'm glad you're liking it and, yes, I'm also interested in how Himeko and Toshi will grow in a new environment. **

**Guest: Thank you so much! Your review made me smile I'm really glad that you like the SI formatting of this story, I've never written a SI before so i was a bit nervous on how it would look and how it would look to others. Is she going to meddle? That's the question, haha! Yes, Endeavor will be an important later on in the story but I'm not going to give him any excuse for his behavior (I don't find it excusable at all). **

**A-Prayer-4-da-Damned: Thank you so much! I smiled when I read your review-it was a nice way to end a work day! I'm really glad that you're enjoying how this story is focused more on Himeko than it is on the whole rebirth and etc. Haha, and yes! if talking as Himeko, she honestly does not care at all that Toshi's all might... you're gonna find out her opinion on the whole thing a bit later! Oh, yes, the dream~ hehe... I guess we'll just have to see~~**

* * *

U.A., it had turned out, was not _U.A._; rather, it was Yuuei—meaning hero, and that Himeko was an idiot.

Thin strands of russet felt like silk as they weaved through Himeko's fingers, the girl sighing as she stared at the bored. Her teacher, Saito-sama, had to be the most ignorant teacher in the school—so much so, that Himeko was almost positive that if she died, her teacher would think that she was asleep and continue on with class. While her face was turned towards the board, Himeko's eyes were downcast and glossed over, her brain thinking a million different things. Starting with one idea, her brain would find a way to relate it to another, and that idea to another. The never ending cycle was exhausting for, while her grades were efficient enough (yes, C's were efficient and they were wonderful and if you thought they were a bad grade, then you truly didn't understand how hard she was trying to be successful and normal in this life), she sincerely was learning nothing.

There was three months until the Yuuei exams and only two month until the end of school. Himeko thought it was ridiculous that the two were so close together—the stress of training and studying for finals was seemingly too much for Toshi. Himeko, begrudgingly, knew that she was concerned for Toshi. She was concerned that he was taking on too much to handle and that, instead of becoming better, he was becoming more insecure. Himeko glanced at him, her brown eyes staring at his thin form—and she was absolutely _positive_ that there was a literal dark cloud above him—before looking away.

In a way, Himeko knew that she was stuck. She didn't have any sense of the timeline, she didn't really know anything about Toshinori's life before becoming All Might, and she didn't know anything concerning Nana and Gran Torino. Was Toshi training under Nana right now? Or was he training under Gran Torino? Did he even have his powers? Or was she just over analyzing every little thing that he did?

Maybe she hadn't been paying close enough attention to begin with.

Himeko's eyes went wide at the thought, at the idea of missing every hint, clue, or notion towards Toshi's intended greatness just because she was trying to live a normal, undercover life. Was it selfish of her to want to hide in the 'shadows'? Himeko still didn't know the correct answer to that question. Realistically, she wasn't even supposed to have been born—she wasn't supposed to have created a relationship with Toshinori. She wasn't supposed to have been born with a quirk or have the family she had now.

Because he was a _fucking fictional character_ and this was a _fictional world_.

A huff escaped her lips as she flopped back into her seat, her mind blown, her head shaking, and her eyes dazed. Life was, honestly, so fucking weird.

But, much to Himeko's dismay, there was still a detrimental question that she had yet to answer for Toshi…and for herself.

Toshi had asked her if she was going to become a hero, if she was going to take the entrance exam for U.A., if she was going to give up her life for the sake of the safety of random strangers who, in a few years, would probably forget all about her.

Sometimes, Himeko thought life would be easier if she became a villain.

By the time class was dismissed, Himeko's had already packed her bag and was rushing out the door—trying her best to avoid Toshi and that aggravating smile that never seemed to leave his face. Seriously, who was able to be that happy for so long?

"Himeko!" _Of fucking course_, Himeko yearned to growl under her breath, but, instead, turned to face the older boy (yes, he was older than her. No, she didn't want to talk about her reaction when she found out but she will say that Toshi wouldn't stop smirking for a full week), a small, forced smile of her face.

"Yeah, Toshi?" Her voice cracked towards the end of her sentence, signifying how little she had been using it nowadays.

How rapid her mind had been thinking.

How her thoughts had slowly been taking over her life.

How she wasn't even sure that she would be able to live pas—

"So, are you gonna take the exams for Yuuei?" The blonde seemed to be bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement as they walked, having a literal 'pep in his step'. He had been waiting for the answer to the question for weeks now and, much to her delight and his dismay, her answers had always been vague—never meaning no, but never meaning yes.

Himeko stopped, the abruptness causing Toshi to trip over his feet as he tried to stop himself. She squinted her muddy, brown eyes at him before truly looking at him. He flinched under her harsh gaze, the intensity of it making it seem like she were trying to burn off the layers of his skin to see who he truly was, what he truly meant and what he was truly hiding. It was Himeko's goal to make him uncomfortable. She wanted him to flinch under her gaze, to pull away from it and awkwardly scratch his arm as his eyes fluttered around her, looking everywhere but her.

She felt as though she could see everything, her eyes trailing down his face. She could see the imperfections of his face, where the acne had left scars and where the sun had left small kisses. She could see the little wisps of mustache that was trying to grow and the little clump of sleep that rested on his eyelashes. He most likely had rubbed his eye during class, not noticing it was there to begin with, and he probably didn't care. Baby hairs waved freely in the wind, some of them sticking up and out from that stupid headband that he had taken to wearing.

She wondered why he didn't just get a haircut.

"Toshinori," She saw him tense up at the use of his full name, knowing that she never used it unless she was upset with him. But she wasn't. Her tone should have told him that. Her voice, normally dull and emotionless, sounded softer than normal. It was gentle, like a mother caressing her child's face or the feeling you get when you eat a food that reminds you of your childhood. For the first time, and most certainly not the last, Himeko was allowing herself to be a child in front of Toshi, "Do you think I'd make a good hero?"

There it was.

That, right there, was the one going problem inside her mind.

The constant humming and whispering that echoed in her ear, the shadow of doubt that held tightly to her hand, the racing heart of anxiety, the wave of nausea that greeted her as a punch to her gut every time she looked at Toshi's face.

He was going to make a great hero.

He was going to be the hero that children dreamed to become.

He was _perfect_, for he only wanted the best for the world.

She wasn't like that. She wasn't like him.

"Himeko," Toshi's voice was soft. So soft, that Himeko couldn't remember a time when someone had spoken to her so tenderly. It certainly hadn't been for a few years, not since she left kindergarten, "I think you'd make a great hero… no matter what type of hero you chose to be."

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes burned.

Toshi had been listening, he had actually been listening to her when Himeko told him her dreams, and he… he thought that she would be great. He didn't laugh at her, he didn't say that she was wrong for her passion, _he encouraged her_.

Himeko let out a shaky breath, nimbly running her hand across her face, wiping away any trace of emotion that had overwhelmed her, "I'm not going to try and become your type of hero, Toshi. I don't want to save people the same way you do… I don't want to watch the world crumble with darkness and always have to be the one to save it."

_Because I know that only you can save it_.

"But, I do want to be my own hero and… and I will take the entrance exams. My grades aren't good enough to get me into Yuuei, but I'm sure that if I show them a little magic," She winked jokingly at him, crouching down and running her fingers against the grass that rested in the grooves of the cobblestone road, "And maybe we can be a team together."

Irises snuck through the cracks.


	4. Part I: IV

**hehe... hey guys~**

**I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!**

**I've decided to make the first part a literal drabble series between the two so if there's any confusion, I hope that clears it up.**

**Thank you for all your reviews, follows, and favs, I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them all!**

**Alien-Planet: You'll definitely see some more fluff as time goes by but... I can't promise they'll be in the same class. I gotta add some angst!**

**Whatkooloser: Thank you!**

**Guest: Yeah, I honestly didn't even realize that they had the same name until you pointed it out. I guess I've been living in my own world when I write this, haha. I'm really glad you like the little displays of power, I don't want to give it away yet (cause Himeko actually isn't a fan of her quirk) and yeah, Toshi is oddly a really weird mix of Deku and Mirio but, I'm glad it's working for ya!**

**Swiggs: Thank you so, so much! I'm so glad you like it! Toshi's lil crush about to get a bit bigger**

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**starrat: Thank you! and I'm sorry this chapter took so long, thank you for sticking around **

**KayEmWhy: That's exactly what I wanted the HimekoToshi dynamic to be and I'm so glad it's coming across that way! Thank you so much for the review and I'm glad you like it!**

**Guest: Oh, yeah, there definitely will be little Toshi's *wink* *wink*, and thank you thank you! I'm going to try my best to continue it!**

**chibianimefan26: ngl, your comment cracked me up and gave me the little, last push to write this chapter (all the comments were building up in my mind and I knew i gotta do it). I'm so happy you like it, thank you! **

* * *

The exams were… easier than Himeko thought they were going to be.

Of course, she hadn't truly put a lot of effort into them because, well, she didn't really want to pass them. A part of her wanted to fail and sorta just escape this life that she had been forced into. If she failed, she could become a teacher, a bakery—something other than a hero, and she could move on with her life.

Maybe live a simple one and pull away from Toshi.

_Nah,_ Himeko scrunched her nose at that thought, twisting the stranding of russet hair into something that resembled two braided pigtails, _he'd never leave me alone if I failed._

No, she had no plans of either passing or failing the exam; no, she was just going to go in, do as best she felt, and leave.

Toshi had met her outside her house, practically bouncing on his heels with his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He seemed to be trying to contain her excitement and anxiety and Himeko honestly didn't know why he was. It was clear he was close to shitting his pants. With a wave goodbye to her parents and Toshi blabbering about how hard he's been training and whatever. He had, without doubt, completely made up the fact that his parents found him this 'master' to help him train when they found out that he had this power and that it wasn't because he was randomly bestowed this gift.

Himeko could care less.

The exam past rather quickly with Toshi having a mental breakdown between each one and almost crying with anxiety (he was incredibly scared that if he failed, he was letting Himeko the entire world down and that he'd lose everything he'd worked for). Himeko, on the other hand, had remained incredibly passive and Toshi had honestly asked her if she was on pills.

Which she wasn't, thank you very much. She was just very good at keeping her panic inside rather than outside.

In the end, Toshi had scored 1st place (_what a surprise_, Himeko had thought, rather bored with the entire situation) with 72 rescue points and not a single villain point where Himeko had gotten 12 villain points (she hadn't meant to kill the school bus full of children and only Toshi had seen her cry after the exam, not really knowing what to do and awkwardly pulling her into a hug) With 46 rescue points, landing her in the lovely position known as 7th.

Toshi had rioted when he learned that, claiming that 'she deserved better' or that 'that didn't know what true talent was.

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she really only used about sixty-five percent of her quirk. He really was on a roll.

Of course in celebration of Toshi's score, Himeko had pulled him into a tight hug. He had gone oddly stiff and she didn't think twice about it, he had always been rather odd, congratulating him and telling him that all his worrying was for nothing.

Nevertheless, the exam had ended that day and she currently rested underneath the moon with her friend, carelessly brushing the dark strands of hair that brushed across her face and tickled her nose, lips, and eyes. Toshi's eyes hadn't drifted far from where they laid, captured by the moon's glow.

"Are you happy?" She asked, her head turning to look at the side of his face, and trying her best to gauge how her sunflower was feeling.

"Yeah," Toshi hummed, "Are you?"

"I'm content, yeah, but I don't believe I'll ever be happy," Himeko said and, though she knew that Toshi wasn't surprised by her words, she felt the glance he sent to her and could feel the heat from his hand that had coincidentally brushed against hers.

"You'll be happy one day." It was almost like Toshi was promising her something—something that he seemed to also be promising himself.

Himeko felt the marigolds wrap themselves around her wrist as she heard his unspoken promise. She knew that the path he followed was one that would never grant her happiness, not in this life and not in the next.

Just as it would never grant him.


	5. Part I V

U.A. was nothing like Himeko expected it to be.

First off, she had managed to make it in the 'advanced' class (honestly, she thought it was so stupid to separate those who 'could' be heroes from the 'actual' heroes, or whatever it was). Sitting next to this girl named Yua—who Himeko was beginning to think was insane from the amount of sugar she consumed—Himeko barely paid attention in class.

She lazed by, something that not only pissed off her parents, but Toshi.

"You're so much smarter than this, Himeko," Toshi would say after they got back their test scores. Of course he had a big, fat 'A' on his, while Himeko got a solid eighty, "I _know_ you are."

Himeko struggled to not roll her eyes at his words, "Why do tests even matter? Grading someone on their decisions of what's right and what's wrong is stupid. If you need to think about it, you shouldn't be a hero."

"It doesn't work like that," Toshi frowned, "Choices are given to us, the answers aren't. Just because you pick one thing doesn't mean someone else would. Everybody has a different answer."

_Inspiring_, she snickered to herself. Instead, however, she crossed her arms and raised a brow, meeting his frown with one of her own.

"Toshi, it asked us if we'd place a kid in jail if we saw the TeePee a house." She deadpanned, "I chose 'no', and said they should just get a firm lecture."

Scratching the back of his neck, confusion evident on his features as he didn't understand why she got the question wrong, he asked:

"What'd he say?"

"He said that having a firm lecture will do, and I quote, 'nothing'".

Himeko was struggling. Though it was something she'd never admit to anyone who asked, it was something that current plagued her. She didn't _want _to be here. She didn't want to be a stupid hero, she didn't want to be reborn in _fucking_ _My Hero Academia_ in the decade that _wasn't even _the storyline. Maybe if she'd been reborn in the _Harry Potter_ universe—hell, she'd even take the _Hunger Games_ because…because at least then she'd have an idea about what was going.

_God_, now she was whining like an annoying-ass character.

Anyway, the second reason was quite embarrassing—so embarrassing, in fact, that Himeko swore she'd never utter this to anyone.

She liked wearing her hero costume.

With a forest green bodysuit that had vines angled inward, stretching from the cuffs of her outfit to where her chest was, her suit looked badass. Weirdly, she noted, Toshi had some trouble looking at her when she wore it. She didn't understand why, though. It was just an outfit—it wasn't like she was nude of anything.

Himeko snorted at the thought, and ignored the puzzled glance Yua sent her.

When the last bell rang and Himeko packed up her stuff to head back to the dorms, she waited outside the room. Toshi was in there, trying to explain something she didn't care about (she really did but wasn't ever going to tell him that) to their teacher. Her ears seemed to perk up when Toshi's voice verged on pleading, the answer to his question muffled by the softness of their teacher's voice.

She hated that when he finally joined her in the hall, a smile still graced his face. Even when sorrow swam in those beautiful baby blues, he smiled like seeing her was the best part of his day.

She _hated_ whatever was making him sad.

* * *

**hello lovelies and happy halloween! **

**Himeko's a bit sad in this chapter, but she's just going through the motions. **

**the reviews after my last chapter...guys, you don't understand how full and happy my heart was. so, literally from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so so SO much! 3 3 3 **

**Guest: i am here and i have decided to continue! Your comment and my heart makes a match made in heaven. yes! honestly toshi's sad story was what inspired me to even write this. i felt like he needed someone to make his storyline just a little bit happier. i am SO glad you like Himeko's character. i've never written a story like this or even a character like this so that makes me so happy to hear. and, yes! little toshi's and himeko trying to keep an eye on them all. I can't wait for that to happen! thank you for your review, and i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**chibianimefan26: i have updated! no need to fear! i am so, so glad you liked this and i am so glad you ship them! my heart burst with joy when i read this comment. literally the point of this story is to be cute and short and I'm SO GLAD IT'S WORKING! (to answer your review on chapter four): YOU ARE VERY WELCOME SIR MAAM! I am so glad you like this and that the drabble series is working for you! it's my first time writing something with this format so to hear that people like it makes me SUPER happy. toshi proposing tho...we'll be seeing where that leads to. CUTEness and ANGST are key in this story and i'm glad that the cuteness is slapping you in the face! **** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**starrat: t;aklfhds ;fjh thank you for your review! I'm so glad you liked it and was so happy to see that you reviewed again!**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**hinatayvonne: honestly me too! so much in fact that i was nicknamed angst by a friend cause that's all i would read. this story will be very angsty tbh because Himeko is...a tough character (lol). the whole villain concept... well, lets just say i've been thinking about a little spice for this story (but thanks for putting it there in the first place, hehe!) **** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**hellocherryblossoms: it's good to be back! my heart melted at your comment and i'm so glad my update made your day! even though they're not long chapters, i'm glad you like it so much! yes! himeko toshi moments are more to come and, sis, me too, hah! **** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**Guest: yeah himeko's having a tough time rn... she's not dealing with personal issues but it'll get better, I promise! thank you and**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**ADDBaby: Adhadkjgh than you! i hope this update blesses your day too, haha! yeah no lie himeko needs a mental health day asap and, for her quirk...all shall be revealed ;) YES, you nailed Himeko's character perfectly! ten points to whatever your house is!**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**xXFrostKittenXx: your comment made me smile thank you so much! and i will continue! don't fear **

**Yuki Suou: Thank you! yeah, none of these have been edited (i'm hoping to go over them in the future) but thank you for the ****criticism. i'm going to keep that in mind for the future just so i'm more aware as I write. i hope you enjoy the chapter and**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**alienhands: tHANK YOU! i am so glad Toshi's character is coming across well and that their dynamic is working. Himeko's a new type of character for me and she is a little storm cloud to toshi's sunflower, but i'm glad it's WORKING LIKE REALLY I"M SUPER HAPPY TO HEAR THAT!**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**akagami hime chan: your comments are so sweet! if you honestly cried i'm going to be so flattered because tears! bc of my writing! dream come true (lmao no but for real i'm hoping some of you will actually cry in future chapters. whether out of joy or sorrow, time will tell). I'm so glad you like this story and that it's like a nap (is a lucid dream the right way to say it?'**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**SleepingLlamas: boi your username is the best and thank yoU! here is the chapter y'all so deserve and i hope you like it! Thank you for your comment and**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**Chi Yagami: Okay, for real this made me do a double take. I am so glad that my SI is working. I've never wrote a story like this before and ngl i was worried himeko was going to sound too bitchy, but it brings me SO much relief to hear that she's not. THank you, thank you, thank you! I hope this chapter brings you some happiness and**** i hope you're staying safe and healthy!**

**do you guys see all these comments. like, responding to these, I didn't realize how many there were and istg there were tears bringing my eyes from the love and happiness I felt! i hope you have a nice halloween and see ya soon!**

**(ps. if i missed your comment, please let me know asap and I'll PM you! if you take the time to write a review, you deserve a response!) **

**ana**


	6. Part !:VI

It was a good day.

The soft smile Himeko woke with had yet to leave, her cheeks rosy from the hours they remained in the same position, while the left half of her bottom lip was covered in small cuts (which came from her trying to suppress her ever growing smile.

To be honest, she wasn't sure why today was such a good day. It just sort of felt like one, you know?

Twirling her pencil, Himeko stared out the window. The warm caress of the sun kissed her cheeks as the glass protected her from the harsh breeze that rattled the trees. October was slowly creeping in and Himeko relished every moment. No longer would she have to deal with the overbearing heat, the desire to cut her hair (which was still there, but she no longer desired a pixie cut—a style that her mom feverishly refuted, saying her face was much too round for it…whatever that meant), or shorts. Now she could cozy up in overly large sweatshirts and sweatpants, drinking as much coffee as she wanted without being judged for it. Himeko tilted her head at the thought, it was rather odd that people were less judgement when you drank five cups of coffee in the colder seasons than the warmer, wasn't it.

Gran Torino (Himeko wasn't ashamed to say that she truly _had _forgotten his name) was busy ranting about something that she should've considered important. But she didn't, because today was a good day.

"Tanaka," Gran Torino, she quickly came to learn, held a very _odd_ feeling towards her. Though it wasn't hatred, the old man seemed to be incredibly…_strict_ with her. No nonsense and all that. It almost felt like he was keeping a close on her, but for the purpose of something else. Maybe he noticed that whenever he called on her, her Sunflower's shoulders would tense and his head would tilt ever-so-slightly to the side…as though he was trying to see her from the very corner of his eye.

Just as she predicted, Toshi's shoulders hunched at the sound of her name leaving Gran Torino's lips, his muscles pulling his uniform tight against his back. The left bang (Himeko wasn't sure what she was supposed to call the longer strands that rested on either side of his face), falling further to the side with the slight tilt of his head.

"Yes?" Himeko asked, the smile faltering a bit, but not completely disappearing.

"Either get your heads out of the clouds or learn to control your quirk." Gran Torino said, eyebrows narrowed in annoyance, "My classroom is not your greenhouse."

Now, although Himeko loathed having a quirk, she didn't exactly loathe _her _quirk. It wasn't horribly destructive and, most of the time, she barely had to use half of it to get a task done. However, because of how powerful her quirk had the potential to be, it was harder to _control_. Hence why she was so upset after the entrance exam (she hadn't meant to lose control, it's just hard, you know? No one's ever taught her how to use her quirk—what an easy way to retain the power was… but she _promised _that she didn't mean to lose control).

Her classmates were looking at her. Their glances and stares only emphasized the look of shock on their face—the look of wonder. God, she wanted to roll her eyes. They made it seem like her quirk was a big deal; it wasn't. Nobody had truly seen it and, because of that—because it was _new—_it was _interesting_. With a half-hearted flick of her hand, the colorful blobs that entwined around the legs of her desk and crept down the wall receded through the cracks.

"My bad." Was all she said.

Gran Torino gave her one last stare, his eyes cold yet perplexed…almost like he still couldn't figure something out (but what was there to figure out?), before turning back to the board and continuing his lecture. However, his eyes seemed to linger on Toshi for a moment too long. Himeko frowned at this, the smile finally slipping from her face. Gran Torino was thinking of something—something that Himeko _knew _she wasn't going to like.

And, by Toshi's shift in his seat, the way he angled his body in an attempt to block her from anyone's prying eyes (which, while it was sweet, was a bit ridiculous since he was in the first row and to the left of her), something _was _going on.

_Well, fuck_, Himeko slumped in her seat, ignoring the petunia that was beginning to sprout from the side of her pencil.

* * *

**We are officially transitioning into part TWOOO! this chapter is incredibly crucial for the upcoming ones so if anyone has any ideas...hehe, let me know what you think!**

**starrat: Ahh! Thank you, I'm so glad you liked it!**

**ADDBaby: your comment is so SWEET! hahah I can assure you that her and Aizawa will have an...interesting relationship to say the least. and i'm honestly so glad you're enjoying this story. i worry that the length is a 'turn off' to some people, so it makes me very happy to hear that it's liked**

**Yuki Suou: thank you! and, ikr!? himeko definitely likes to pretend that she doesn't care...when she really does**

**Guest (Fraser): I hope the chapter issue is solved and don't worry, this story won't be taken down. I'm so glad you like it and i hope you like this chapter!**

**Chi Yagami: I'm so glad the issue is fixed! And yes! Himeko's quirk will be making more of an appearance (as seen in this chapter). yes! himeko is very 'emo' right now and she only wishes she was in THG is because she thinks she won't feel so lost (basically being in MHA makes her feel unprepared and she doesn't like that). But I agree, i would never want to be in THG universe for anything. i hope you like the update!**

**rainfallMyth: your comment is so sweet and it made my day! thank you, and i'm so glad you like this story! and tbh same. what literally drove me to write this story was the fact that i felt like All Might deserved so much more**

**stay safe and pls be kind to others during this time**

**ana!**


	7. Part II: I

"Strawberry shortcake, banana split, we make the other team look like shit!"

Toshi was, there were no other words to describe his expression, unamused. In fact, Himeko had never seen him look so unamused. The smile that so often covered his face was nowhere to be found. If Toshi glared, this was the closest she'd ever seen him to it. His beautiful baby blues were slightly narrowed, watching her every movement with caution. His arms were crossed, and his lips were slightly pursed.

Yes, this certainly was a great day!

Gran Torino decided that it was a _beautiful _day for some outdoor training. And, much to Himeko's delight, outdoor training meant teams! Toshi's team was most certainly the best. Now, it didn't escape her attention that Toshi was attractive. Barely anybody in their grade had blonde hair and blue eyes, and _nobody_ had a fan club like he did. She found it rather cute.

Every morning, they'd be standing by the door.

"_Good morning, Toshinori!" _They'd say, batting their eyelashes and tucking loose strands of hair behind their ear. Of course, her Sunflower would greet them with a bright smile and a 'good morning to you, too!', his hand tightly clasped around her own. The glares the fan club sent her, by God, they were the highlight of her day. So full of hate, so angry, they'd glare at her and, sometimes if she were lucky, they'd flip her off.

She _loved _it.

Because her and Toshi _weren't _dating.

It was a rather strange turn of events if she remembered correctly…which she didn't. There was incident on the training ground. An incident that involved her and a certain redhead by the of Enji. Himeko wasn't sure how he got to the training grounds or if his daddy had enough money to sneak him in. All she remembered was a roar of anger and vines hurrying to coil around her. She got some pretty sick scars on her hand from that, but she couldn't remember anything.

It was like…it was like her memory had vanished.

Toshi… she'd never seen him so furious. His beautiful blues were the color of the sea on a stormy day, his hands never relaxed from clenched fists, his knuckles white. Her Sunflower wasn't smiling, and she didn't know why. It was easy to say that she was more upset over that fact than her bandaged hands.

Himeko thought the scars were cool. The ones on her left hand coiled up her forearm and stopped a few inches away from her wrist. They were a soft pink—very easily mistaken for a sunburn—but the shape of them made the truth ring clear. Her right hand was almost perfectly fine. Only a small scar covered the soft skin on the side of her palm.

Ever since then…well, Toshi would always hold her left hand. She had a feeling it was because the scars were worst there, drawing attention from those who saw. Himeko didn't think the attention she got was what bothered him, she _knew _it was the feeling of failure. Why her Sunflower thought he failed her, she didn't know; but, it was a topic he refused to touch.

Which was fine by her.

Anyway, Gran Torino thought it would be a good idea to do some team training. They were playing a game similar to dodge ball, except you could use your powers. How sick was that? Gran Torino picked the teams. Himeko didn't miss the way he eyed her when tilted her head at him in question. Without any thought, really, he sent her to the opposing team, leaving Toshi surrounded by people who only wanted to impress him.

Beautiful, really. She had to give it to Gran Torino.

Dragging her fingers through her auburn strands, she gathered them into a messy bun and quickly tied it off. Himeko knew she most probably looked like a conehead but, hey, style had never been her strong suit.

"You know the rules," Gran Torino grumbled, "No maiming, no killing, a little blood is fine, and try not to break any bones this time."

He specifically sent a glare her way. Himeko smiled. It wasn't her fault that Yuna didn't check where she was stepping. Roots are everywhere.

A shrill screech filled the air and Gran Torino dropped the whistle, "Start!"

Toshi never once threw the ball her way…that didn't mean she didn't throw her ball at him.

* * *

**guys, you are so sweet! The love i'm getting for this story is unreal-literally. I've never been so happy to write a story! I was watching parks and rec and very quickly remembered that i wrote this story sorta based off the 'Andy/ april' romance. instead it's toshi/ himeko, haha!**

**Enji makes an appearance.. dun, dun, DUNN! **

**ADDBaby: Your comments light up my life! You're also so right about Himeko's personality, she likes acting tough but Toshi gives her the FEELS! Is it a crush? is it friendship? only the future will tell! Also, lmao, i love 'emo gardener' that should be her superhero name. and gran torino wants nothing more than for toshi to stay safe and himeko...well, she makes him a bit uneasy. **

**Starrat: I got so excited to see your comment! Thank you! I'm glad you like it :) **

**lucylou67: thank you! i wanted to write something sorta different from the other stories I found and this baby was born (also your username... LOVE IT!) I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Yuki Suou: HAHA, that's a big mood! yes, she certainly can garden but, ironically, i think that if she was quirkless, she'd kill plants very quickly by trying to care for them a lil too much. Thank you! and i hope you like this chapter!**

**darkxXxflames: he is, isn't he! all bright and smiley with our lil storm cloud himeko, haha. Thank you for the review and i hope you like this chapter! **

**Chi Yagami: I AM SO GLAD! Oh yeah, himeko REALLY has no control over her powers. THey're very emotion motivated. But same! i would love this quirk no lie. Gran torino does sorta get the drift in pt.1, but pt.2... well, let's just say he'll be watching them VERY closely... especially when they go on patrols together (oh wait that's a spoiler oop-)I hope you like the chapter! **

**SleepingLlamas: ikr! but i feel like toshi...won't be...the one to ask her out...hmm? I'm not sure yet~ Love rival? what? why would i disrupt their lovely lives (lmao he's coming, heheheheh) I really appreciate your ideas, and loved reading them! Thank you! I hope you enjoy the chapter! **

**TheOneThatSeesGNS: ThaNK! YOU! this is my first time writing a 'reborn' fic and I'm really, really, really, really glad you like it! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! **

**paulavara140: Thank you so much! here it is! I hope you enjoy it :)**

**please lmk if i missed your review and i'll pm you right away**

**ana**

**(self promotion right here but i posted a hobbit fanfic that is very similar to this style so pls check it out if youre interested) **


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